Registration for one of UK’s biggest optics conferences opens

REGISTRATION has opened for one of the UK’s largest optics conferences – with the Association of Optometrists’ Clinical and Professional Director Dr Peter Hampson among the expert presenters.

The Specsavers Professional Advancement Conference (PAC) is open to all wherever they work and takes place at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre on Sunday 17 September. The conference, which also covers audiology, features a range of continuing professional development (CPD) sessions, more than 30 exhibitors and networking opportunities for the thousands of expected delegates.

Dr Hampson will be presenting at a session titled: ‘The Past, Present and Future of Optometry’ and will be joined by Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, the College of Optometrists’ Clinical Adviser, and Specsavers Director of Professional Advancement Paul Morris. Dr Hampson will also take part in a session called: ‘Staying safe in domiciliary care’.

Other highlights will include Professor Anthony King, chair of Glaucoma UK, discussing challenges and prospects for glaucoma care. Professor Roshini Sanders, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Fife, University of Edinburgh, and Dr Cindy Ogundo, Clinical Fellow, Fife. Ophthalmologist, Mbagathi Hospital, Nairobi, will speak about glaucoma shared care in practice and LASIK learnings.

‘It is brilliant to welcome this calibre of expert to this year’s PAC because we are committed to changing patient’s lives by supporting the professional development of colleagues across the sector,’ says Specsavers’ Grant Duncan, Director of Professional Development, Clinical Services.

‘With something for everyone’, he says that the PAC programme will appeal to pre-registration and qualified optometrists, dispensing opticians, contact lens opticians, colleagues with Cert 4 qualification and optical assistants.

‘There are more peer reviews than ever. CPD-accredited sessions are organised around key themes – including glaucoma, enhanced optical services, contact lenses, dispensing, clinical change and low vision,’ adds Mr Duncan.

One of the peer reviews will examine use of Optical Coherence Topographer (OCT) to monitor advance of glaucoma using progression analysis, with exploration of when it is safe to community managing glaucoma patients in practice and when to refer them to hospital. Discussions will cover communication of OCT findings to glaucoma patients.

A glaucoma skills workshop will focus on Goldmann Applanation Tonometry – supporting clinicians in how to interpret glaucoma changes on OCT and carry out gonioscopy.

There will also be a full track of foreign body removal, dispensing masterclasses, and the chance to get hands-on with the latest equipment in ophthalmic simulator sessions. There is even the chance to gain WOPEC accreditation for optometrists.

Stars of the optics and audiology sectors will also be honoured at the PAC with awards from Specsavers’ founders. The Doug and Dame Mary Perkins Awards recognise clinical excellence and customer care across Specsavers’ community practices in the UK and Ireland.

More information about this year’s PAC, including registration is available at https://specsaversevents.co.uk/pac/general/home.asp